WASHINGTON D.C [U.S.A]: Positive culture of trust and fairness in the workplace is associated with increased output, found research.

The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.

Bosses who are so-called 'servant leaders' create a positive culture of trust and fairness in the workplace. In turn, they benefit from creating loyal and positive teams.

This type of manager has personal integrity and is also keen to encourage staff development. The new research shows clear evidence of a link between this style of leadership and an increase in productivity.

Researchers examined 130 independent studies which had previously been published and used them to test a number of theories.

Taking A Stand: How Tech Bosses Brought About A Change

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Speaking Out

20 Nov, 2018

A culture revolution doesn’t always begin on the outside. Sometimes, accountability comes from the inside, as these powerful tech giants discovered.

Tiptoeing The Line

20 Nov, 2018

Earlier this year, Microsoft came under scrutiny when over a hundred employees published an open letter calling on the company to cancel its contracts with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. “We believe that Microsoft must take an ethical stand, and put children and families above profits,” the letter said. CEO Satya Nadella (in pic) defended the contract stating, “Microsoft is not working with the US government on any project related to separating children from their families at the border.” Nadella did not commit to more transparency.

Technology For Good

20 Nov, 2018

Earlier this year, hundreds of Amazon employees signed an internal letter demanding that the company stop selling its facial recognition surveillance software — Rekognition — to law enforcement agencies. “As ethically concerned Amazonians, we demand a choice in what we build and a say in how it is used,” they wrote. Despite the outcry, Amazon executives have skirted around the issue saying that it is the responsibility of the US government to specify the regulations needed around facial recognition.
In pic: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos

Personal Vs. Company

20 Nov, 2018

Last month, Facebook executives came under fire when the company’s VP of global public policy — Joel Kaplan (left) — was spotted publicly supporting Judge Brett Kavanaugh as he testified before the Senate. Kaplan’s appearance raised eyebrows and resulted in a strong backlash among employees with some viewing Kaplan’s show of support as an endorsement from the company itself. Following the outrage, Kaplan apologised and defended his actions, claiming that he had attended the hearing as a close friend of Kavanaugh. “I’ve talked to Joel about why I think it was a mistake for him to attend given his role in the company. We support people’s right to do what they want in their personal time but this was by no means a straight-forward case,” Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg (right) wrote in an internal post.

Walking Out

20 Nov, 2018

Last week, more than 20,000 Google employees staged a worldwide walkout over reports that former executive Andy Rubin (left) received a handsome $90 million severance package in 2014, despite sexual misconduct allegations. Reacting to the protests, Google CEO Sundar Pichai (right) said, “People are walking out because they want us to improve and they want us to show we can do better. We’re acknowledging and understanding we clearly got some things wrong.” Shortly after, Google announced new sexual harassment policies for employees including a crackdown on alcohol at work-related functions.

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"Our work shows that, as we expected, a 'servant leader' style of management which is ethical, trustworthy and has a real interest in the wellbeing and development of staff brings about real positives within the workplace," said Dr Allan Lee, the lead author of the report.

"Employees are more positive about their work and therefore also often feel empowered to become more creative. The result is a rise in productivity," said Dr Lee.

The analysis also found that this style of leadership often creates a positive and valued working relationship between the manager and the employee.

Leadership Gone Wrong

15 Apr, 2019

Being an industry leader is not child's play. Apart from taking one's business ahead and dealing with the complications that come along with it, inculcating a healthy work culture is also extremely important. Recently, Alibaba Group boss Jack Ma received flak on social media for promoting a 12-hour-a-day and six-days-a-week work routine for success. However, he isn't the only one who, in an effort to be on the top, ended up promoting a hostile work culture. Here's a look at some top bosses who haven't been appreciated for their leadership qualities. (In pic from left: Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma, Travis Kalanick)

Hard Work Or Hostility?

15 Apr, 2019

Jack Ma recently faced flak for his blog post endorsing the tech industry's overtime culture. The 54-year-old encouraged employees to embrace the overtime culture if they wished to flourish in the tech world. He was also known to dismiss people expecting a typical, eight-hours-a-day work routine. Earlier, China's richest man said that people who can stick to a hectic schedule are the ones that have found their passion beyond monetary gains.

Rage Firings

15 Apr, 2019

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is known for his temper outbursts, and his 'rage firings' have often made headlines. The 47-year-old, whose employees have reported incidents of extreme yelling, allegedly fires any employee who comes his way on a bad-temper day. Earlier this month, Musk reportedly pushed a former employee who was saying goodbye to colleagues after having resigned from the company. In another example, it was reported last December that the auto giant's employees were asked not to walk past Musk's desk in case it ruined their career.

Angry Rants At Amazon

15 Apr, 2019

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is known for his cut-throat management style as much as he is known for being the world's richest man. The top boss doesn't mince his words, and the e-commerce giant has gained a reputation for having a ruthless work culture. As a leader, the 55-year-old is reported to be a difficult-to-please boss - who is easy to agitate. Stories of his comments including, "I'm sorry, did I take my stupid pills today?" and "Why are you ruining my life?" have often made it out of Amazon's office.Bezos has reportedly been this way from the start. In 1997, three years after launching the company, in a letter to the shareholders, he had revealed that while interviewing prospective employees he always tells them, “You can work long, hard, or smart, but at Amazon.com you can't choose two out of three.”

A Toxic 'Bro' Culture

15 Apr, 2019

In 2017, Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick was forced to exit from the company. The decision was made after he was accused of sexual harassment by an ex-employee, Susan Fowler. But Fowler's account of her time at the company was just a trigger that led to a chain of reactions including complaints of a ‘toxic bro culture’ at Uber. Soon stories highlighting the unhealthy, sexist work culture that had flourished for years under Kalanick made headlines.

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"Given the results, we recommend organisations look to put 'servant leaders' into influential positions and that training programmes and selection processes are aligned to make this happen," added Dr Lee.

The results also suggest that it would benefit organisations to create, or reinforce a culture that positively promotes trust, fairness, and high-quality working relationships between managers and staff.

The research was carried out by Dr Lee, Dr Joanne Lyubovnikova from Aston Business School, and Drs Amy Wei Tian and Caroline Knight from Curtin University, Perth.

From Jeff Bezos To Tony Fernandes, Interesting Fantasies Of The Top Bosses

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Billionaire Dreamland

16 Nov, 2017

Jeff Bezos may be minting billions, but he fantasises about being a bartender and making craft cocktails.
A look at some fantasies — achieved or otherwise — of other big guns in the business world.

Role Play

16 Nov, 2017

Steve Jobs
The late Apple co-founder fantasised about celebrating the sale of the millionth iMac by recreating the Willy Wonka golden certificate contest, author Ken Segall wrote in a book about Apple. Jobs even wanted to dress up like Willy Wonka — the top hat, velvet blazer and bow tie included. He took that fantasy to the grave since California's law required competitions to allow entry without requiring a purchase. Pity. Jobs would have looked cool in a purple suit.

Bound In Books

16 Nov, 2017

Tony Fernandes
The AirAsia founder shared that it was his dream to see a book about him written. The Malaysia-based businessman said, "To hear kids saying I have inspired them. It's a nice feeling… Dreaming is good. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't dream." Looks like Fernandes took care of his fantasy himself — his autobiography was released early last month. The airline entrepreneur also said that starting a no-frills airline was also one of his dreams that became a reality and paved the way for other fantasies to be achieved.

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